


Mine is REALLY different

by WishMage



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Gender/Sexuality, Alien genitalia, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Clark comes clean, Clark didn't realize HOW different he was, Clark is 17, Do not post to other sites, Do not repost, Kryptonian Biology, Lex Finds Out, M/M, Mating Bond, Panic Attack, Pete is traumatized, Realization of Feelings, Takes place during an alternate s3, Tentacles, Unreliable Narrator, unbetad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:54:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26434492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishMage/pseuds/WishMage
Summary: After Clark accidentally sees Lex naked during a sleepover at the castle, he can't get the differences between their bits and pieces out of his head. When finally he admits what's been bothering him, Lex assures him that no two people are the same in that area, and Clark feels better.That is, until someone actuallyseeshis junk and freaks out. Before he realizes it, he's back at the mansion, and Lex is reassuring him that things can't be as bad as Clark thinks. Well, Clark's going to have toshowhis best friend it's much worse than Lex thinks.An old-school trope I couldn't resist trying my hand at.
Relationships: Clark Kent/Lex Luthor
Comments: 24
Kudos: 154





	Mine is REALLY different

**Author's Note:**

> Rando plot bunny that hit me a couple of weeks ago. Stumbled across the notes today while trying to write and out this sucker came. Unbetad as always.

“Clark, what’s wrong?” Lex asked, jerking the younger man out of his thoughts. He glanced up at Lex to see him giving Clark a concerned look, glanced up at the game of Little Big Planet they’d been playing, and sighed when he realized he’d just respawned, again.

“You seem distracted,” Lex continued when Clark didn’t immediately answer, and laid a comforting hand on his arm, “Is there something you want to talk about? You can tell me anything.” Lex said, and it was so earnest that Clark couldn’t help but flush. He knew Lex was always looking to prove to the both of them that he was a good friend, could be trusted, but there were some things that he didn’t know how to talk to him about.

Lex’s dick was at the very top of that list right now. How could he tell his friend that since he’d accidentally spotted him coming out of his pool, fully nude in the middle of the night last weekend, he couldn’t get the man’s genitalia out of his head?

Clark groaned and pressed a hand to his face in embarrassment, then flushed brilliant scarlet when he realized he’d actually just done that in front of Lex. There was no way he could hide something was up now.

“It’s uh,” He forced out when Lex’s face started to take on that disappointed, closed-off look he got whenever Clark had to hide something from him, “It’s just uh, kind of really embarrassing?” He gave Lex a pained glance to find his face relaxed again, open, and encouraging.

Something about that expression just made him want to tell Lex everything. He’d already, kind-of, but not really reassured Lex that he wasn’t crazy and that Clark was a bit different, and in return Lex left him alone for the most part about it, seeming to understand Clark couldn’t just say it.

His breath escaped him in a huff that blew his bangs up off his forehead and he set his controller down beside him. Lex paused the game and set his on the coffee table next to the empty pizza boxes. Experience had taught him that the large exhale meant Clark had given in on something,

“Like really embarrassing.” Clark tried again, but Lex just waited and Clark sighed softly again and just knew from the burning sensation that his entire face was aflame.

“Alright so uh... Last weekend when I stayed over, I was getting a midnight snack and I heard something from the pool and I uh... You were getting out. And I saw.” Clark went from staring at the small hole above the knee of his jeans where he’d caught them on a post nail that morning to Lex to see if the other understood that meant he’d seen literally all of him.

Lex nodded slowly, looking slightly puzzled but not concerned. “Alright, and... that upset you?” He asked gently, obviously not sure what Clark was getting at.

“No!” Clark assured quickly, holding both hands up to stay that thought. “No, well, kind of, but not because you were naked.” He quickly amended and flushed again when Lex just looked concerned.

“It uh... I just uh, noticed something. Is all.” He muttered, and looked down at his lap, and then jerked his eyes up to the game again, not wanting to focus on his lap. God, why was he always so freaking awkward? It wasn’t fair.

“Noticed what, Clark?” Lex pressed, his voice unusually soft, gentling him. It made Clark’s shoulders sag and he gave Lex an almost guilty look, knowing he was worrying his friend.

“I just uh, noticed that you’re like, really different than me. Down there. Like your... stuff.” Clark said, unable to keep meeting his eyes for more than a beat after that, half-mortified to have spoken the words at all.

There was a pause for long enough that Clark finally managed to look up at Lex again, his curiosity getting the better of him. He didn’t expect to be on the receiving end of a curiously concerned look. Lex seemed to realize with Clark’s glance that he needed to say something and he nodded to himself.

“That’s really quite normal.” Lex said with certainty.

Clark blinked at him and felt as though he’d just been thrown a life preserve after being adrift in a sea of mortification. “It is?” He exhaled in a relieved breath, feeling the tension he hadn’t noticed had crept into his shoulders unwind all at once.

Whatever expression was on his face made Lex give him a slightly sympathetic smile “Yes, everyone looks different down there. I can personally attest to this, given my wild youth.” He winked at Clark and the sudden lightness in Clark’s chest let a laugh escape him.

“Alright.” He agreed, feeling better than he had all week. “Okay then.”

Lex, for his part, looked rather surprised. “That was really all that was bothering you?” He asked, and Clark flushed again but grinned a little, embarrassed.

“Yes, alright? Excuse me for worrying that I was weird or something.” They both laughed when Lex assured him that they were both plenty weird, and soon they were back to focusing on the game. He had faith that Lex knew exactly what he was talking about.

\-----

 _Lex obviously had no idea what he’d been talking about!_ Clark thought in a panic as he ran. Neither did his dad, he thought bitterly. When he’d told his dad things down there had started to change his dad had laughed it off and said that happened to everyone. Lex, who he trusted most of all had said everyone was different. And as Lex and some of the nastier gossips in town liked to point out, Lex should know.

Whatever anyone had said, now Clark knew he was a freak. There was no other way he could take the reaction Pete had when he’d walked into the bathroom just as Clark was getting out of the shower. Pete’s cries of alarm and horrified reaction to what Clark had between his legs had him speeding into his clothes and fleeing in mortified panic.

“Clark?” It was the second time this week Lex’s voice was drawing him out of his thoughts and back to himself, this time though, it was more alarmed and Clark had no idea how he’d gotten there. He glanced around in confusion, and then back to Lex, who was standing in the doorway to his own room.

Clark was standing above the couch he’d been sitting on with Lex just a few days ago when Lex told him he was normal. He’d had it and the entertainment center installed in his own room after Lionel had interrupted a few of their sleepovers by storming into the media room downstairs.

Bedrooms, Lex had told Clark, had become off-limits after a battle they’d had the year prior. Lex had called it a battle and indicated whatever it had consisted of, he’d won. Clark could hardly imagine doing battle with his father over his right to privacy but the Luthors had always been strange and Lionel was as close to evil a person as Clark had met.

“I’m not-” Escaped Clark in a panic, and Lex shut his door, moving into the room and over to Clark, looking openly worried.

After a few moments went by with Lex now standing directly in front of him and Clark trying to draw in enough air, Lex spoke softly. “Whatever is going on Clark, just talk to me. We can work it out together.” Lex spoke as though he was soothing a spooked horse, and Clark realized he was hyperventilating.

He’d run to Lex’s house after Pete saw him and freaked out and he was hyperventilating. And Lex was talking to him. He had no idea what Lex had said. Lex’s hands were on him then, gently pushing him toward the couch. When Clark's legs hit the back of him, he sat suddenly, gasping in another breath.

“It’s alright Clark.” Lex was saying, with one hand on his shoulder and the other on his own cell phone. “Do you want me to call your parents?”

“NO!” Clark said, immediately, alarmed. Oh god, how was he going to talk to his parents about this? The Talk had been mortifying enough, with his mom taking charge and his dad blushing and stumbling his way through it. At least they’d both agreed they didn’t mind if he ended up gay or something. Fuck. He was a freak. It didn't matter if he were straight or gay. He’d never be able to be with anyone!

He grabbed a pillow without thinking and pressed it against his face, groaning his mortification and the sorrow at the loss of any possibility of normal life, relationship, or the possibility of ever having sex.

“I’m a freak.” He wailed miserably a moment later when Lex pried the pillow away from his face. When he finally let Lex after hearing the panic increase his heartbeat when Clark had made the pillow unmovable.

Lex took a deep breath in relief as though it had been his air cut off by the pillow and tossed it to the other end of the couch, out of Clark’s reach. “Whatever is going on, it can’t be that bad.” Lex assured him, but he still had a concerned frown.

With a miserable noise, Clark slumped dramatically forward and buried his face in both hands. “It’s worse. I’m a complete freak and no one will ever want to date me and I’m going to be alone for the rest of my life!” He lamented.

Then Lex... He had. The nerve. To laugh.

Clark lifted his head from his hands, wide eyes and shocked at the audacity. Lex never really laughed at him, not when it was important. Lex looked amused, yeah, but the look he was giving Clark was softly amused pity. The same look he had when Clark had gotten in trouble for the party he’d had when his parents were out of town shortly after they’d met. Or when he had bemoaned ever saying anything to Lana or Chloe over the next couple years.

“Whatever you think you’ve done to make yourself a social pariah, I promise you it’s not as bad as you’re imagining.” His tone was gentle, his expression amused understanding. Lex didn’t get it, at all.

“You’re wrong.” Clark whispered, still mortified. “It’s not anything I did. It’s what I am. I’m a freak, Lex.” At least now Lex was frowning, taking him seriously. He was back to looking concerned, and a little bit mad?

“You’re not.” Lex insisted. “Whatever happened, you’re still you. You’re Clark Kent. My best friend and the reason I still have faith that there’s good in humanity.”

The reminder that he wasn’t even human made Clark groan and drop his face back into his hand, slumping further forward. The hand that fell on his back didn’t comfort him like it normally would, even as Lex leaned closer, turning it into a partial embrace as he leaned forward around Clark.

“Talk to me, Clark. Tell me what’s wrong. What happened?” Soothing tones had Clark drawing in deep breaths of air. He leaned toward Lex and Lex leaned into him, providing support, unasked.

“You were wrong.” Clark said quietly, finally lifting his head from his hands and feeling miserable. “About... about me being normal. Down there. I’m not and... Uh... Someone freaked out.” Clark went pale with mortification as he remembered Pete’s screamed questions.

A quick glance at Lex showed his face carefully blanked, and his eyes on Clark. A beat passed, and then Lex spoke “Clark, some people are much larger than othe-”

“That’s not it!” Clark flushed suddenly, sure now at least that the changes that had occurred, compared to how it had been, how Lex was, and given Pete’s reaction were entirely unusual and didn’t have much to do with the size of things. He hadn’t meant to yell, but at least Lex didn’t look mad. No, he was back to worry. Clark didn’t know which was worse, the amusement or the worry, and he looked away.

“Look... I just-” Clark trailed off, and then made a frustrated sound and exhaled raggedly. “I’m really different. Down there. Not just big... or small. Different. And... it freaked someone out and... I am never going to get to have a normal life.” It came out in a sort of shell-shocked tone Clark had heard from people after something insane happened, like being kidnapped by a meteor mutant. He winced at himself and sighed, miserable.

Lex’s hand was still on his back, the other man leaning toward him. “Clark, if there’s something abnormal about it, then perhaps it would be best to see a doctor.” Clark looked up in alarm as Lex continued “I can get someone I trust-”

“No!” Clark sat straight up in his panic, and Lex’s arm slid off his back. Lex held both hands up in a placating gesture, and it was very nearly all that stopped Clark from giving up the entire game by speeding away in a panic. Again. Only from Lex this time. Pete was probably still freaking out. Or trying to call him. Crap, he’d left his phone on the charger in his room.

“Alright. No doctor.” Lex agreed quickly, hands still out in a soothing motion. He lowered them when Clark just nodded sharply, a considerate look on his face.

“Do you want me to take a look? Not...” Lex closed his eyes for a moment and sighed, before fixing a gentle gaze on Clark once more. “Not that I’m trying to get a look, Clark. I just want to make sure that nothing is wrong. That you don’t have a condition that might need to be treated.” Lex said, quietly.

It was only the soothing tones that had Clark considering it at all. “It’s not that. I’m just a freak. You don’t understand.” Clark looked away, feeling upset and alone, despite Lex being right beside him. He didn’t know though. Only his parents and Pete knew and Pete had flipped out when he saw it. He wasn’t exactly about to go show his parents and ask them what to do. It would be so much easier if Lex just knew. He mused, miserably.

Then he blinked. Lex knew... some things. Clark was bad at hiding things and hated lying to his best friend, so it wasn’t long after Clark had come home from a misspent summer in Metropolis and Lex had come back from the dead that Clark had admitted Lex wasn’t crazy, that he couldn’t talk about it and begged Lex to understand. The questions had stopped immediately after and their friendship had never been stronger.

If he could trust Lex with that, then... he could probably trust Lex with everything. In fact, just thinking about telling him took such a huge weight off Clark’s chest, he couldn’t think of any good reason not to. Even his dad seemed to have finally come around to Lex being a good guy. Especially after Lex assured him the compass his dad had given Lex last year as a wedding present had saved him.

“Clark.” Lex said his name, softly, affection clear. His tone was reassuring even though it was just one word. When Clark looked at him, Lex had a certain look on his face.

“I promise, whatever it is, I won’t react badly.” He seemed to steel himself then, and Clark laughed softly. Sure. He’d just drop trou, show Lex his freaky genitalia, and then everything would be fine?

“You will.” Clark said quietly, suddenly certain of that.

“I won’t,” Lex returned, just as quickly, and with no room for argument in his tone.

“Fine.” Clark said, suddenly feeling a little lightheaded and reckless. He wanted Lex to know, Lex wanted to see, he was sure Lex would freak, despite desperately wanting him not to. He might as well show him, see what happened, and then tell his best friend he was from another fucking planet.

Clark gave a slightly hysterical laugh and stood, reaching for his fly. Lex reached up and caught Clark’s wrist, and Clark lifted his gaze to meet his friend’s concerned blue eyes and worried frown.

“Only if you want to. I’m not in the habit of coercing underage men to show me what’s in their pants.” Clark went absolutely scarlet then, and laughed, embarrassed.

“That’s not what Mrs. White says.” He shot back, feeling a bit lightheaded and reckless still.

Lex’s eyes widened for a moment in shock and Clark through for just a second that he’s overstepped, opened his mouth to apologize, only to shut it when Lex threw his head back and laughed. It broke the tension in the room and for the first time since Clark got there, he felt a real sense of ease.

He turned his hand and caught Lex’s in it, then gave it a squeeze. “Okay... I want to show you. But first, you should know... it’s _really_ not normal. Because _I’m_ really not normal. I guess I just didn’t realize _how_ not normal until now.” He dropped Lex’s hand gently, and without waiting any more, not wanting to chicken out, he undid his pants and shoved both them, and his boxers down.

What Clark hadn’t considered was that given that Lex was sitting, leaning slightly toward him, that basically put his junk right about a foot from Lex’s face. He also hadn’t considered that his junk would decide to perk up now and reach out to touch Lex’s face, the tentacle-like protrusions uncurling and fanning outward. Mortified, Clark slapped his junk down, so that one... feeler..? Tentacle..? Clark had no idea what to call them, wasn’t curiously exploring Lex’s cheekbone.

“Oh my _God_ , I’m _sorry_.” Flushed crimson, he hurriedly took a step back, then stumbled as his pants caught around his thighs. Lex reached up and caught his forearm so he didn’t fall, and Clark looked at him with wide, alarmed eyes.

Lex was... not freaking out. He was meeting Clark’s eyes and not freaking out, even though Clark was a complete freak, with freakish tentacle things between his legs that had touched Lex on the face.

“Are you alright?” Lex asked as he steadied Clark, and kept his hand on his arm even once Clark was sure he had his balance. Clark stared back at him, silent in his shock. “Clark?” He asked after several moments of silence passed between them, just looking at one another while Clark’s groin tried to explore the air around it.

“Uh,” Clark responded intelligently. “You uh... you aren’t.” He stopped, unsure of what to say. “Why aren’t you freaking out?” He asked, thrown entirely for a loop even though he had trusted his friend when he’d said he wouldn’t. Mostly.

“ _I’m_ freaking out!” He continued, and a laugh escaped him that made Lex frown in concern again. “Why... why aren’t you?” He whispered the last question. Lex stood then, keeping his hand on Clark’s arm and stepped closer to him, from the side, out of reach of his exploring tentacles.

“Because you’re Clark Kent. My best friend.” Lex repeated the sentiment he’d expressed earlier. “What’s in your pants was never going to change that, no matter how different it is from what’s in mine. Besides, I think you’re doing enough freaking out for the both of us.”

Clark let out a soft huff of laughter ane blinked away a few stray tears that had formed, touched at Lex’s declaration. He looked down at himself, his wandering genitalia and sighed.

“It doesn’t normally do this.” He said quietly. “It’s like it’s trying to say hi or something.” He glanced up to find Lex had followed his gaze and was studying his junk curiously. Clark felt his cheeks heat and suddenly wondered why he thought this was a good idea. Only... Lex had sort of proved himself a better friend in that moment than Pete ever had been. That was worth it, at least.

“I’m an alien,” Clark confessed, eyes on Lex. When Lex met his gaze, evenly, he added, “from space.”

There was a beat of silence, and then Lex nodded. “No one is ever going to hurt you, Clark. I won’t let it happen.”

Clark blinked, wetly, and it was like with those words, something broke in him. Not even thinking about the fact that he was fully exposed in that second, he swept Lex into an embrace and crushed the older man against him.

“Thank you, Lex.” He whispered against the side of his head as Lex brought his arms up around Clark to return the embrace. For the first time in the years since his parents had revealed his origin to him, Clark felt safe. He had faith enough in Lex that the ever-present fear that someone would find out about him and take him away for some kind of experimentation, or worse, suddenly faded in the face of that offered protection.

Everything felt right, there, in that moment, the first since Lex had gasped back to life after Clark had pulled him from a watery grave. When Lex jumped a bit and pulled back to look down, Clark caught his jaw in his hand almost on instinct, lifted his other hand to caress along the side of his face in a movement that felt like some sort of primal instinct, and kissed his friend.

There. Clark realized. This was what he’d unknowingly been seeking his whole life. Energy shifted noticeably around them, and when Clark broke the kiss, they were several feet off the floor and Lex was clinging to him with a look of amazement. He felt in a bit of a daze, like he had just woken from a dream.

“Clark?” Lex’s voice, as always, brought him back to himself, and he looked into Lex’s eyes, looked at the ground, his eyes widened and then they were falling. It was only about a foot, but it was still jarring, and Clark clutched at Lex’s arms, alarmed.

“Uh... that usually only happens when I’m sleeping.” He explained after a moment.

Lex was taking a deep breath, and reaching for Clark's pants, tugging them upward.

“We need to talk about this.” Lex said, and Clark felt that sense of completeness he’d been buoyed by crack. He must have made some kind of noise because Lex looked up with a slightly alarmed look and then frowned.

“I’m not rejecting you, Clark. Not at all, but we need to talk about this. While you’re fully clothed. I didn’t even know you were interested in me. I need to know that this isn’t just about... I think we both need some reassurances, is all.” Lex looked down and gently untangled his hand from Clark's genitalia, which had taken to exploring it since Lex had tugged Clark's boxers up over part of it.

“Fully clothed.” He added again.

Clark exhaled slowly and tucked himself back in, not used to having to wrangle himself to get his pants up. It felt... really strange when they touched things. He didn’t feel like it was sexual, though, and wondered what that even meant. Maybe they weren’t even sex organs. He knew what turned on felt like, and this wasn’t it. Maybe he couldn’t even get turned on anymore, since things had changed.

Glancing up at Lex, he followed his lead and moved back over to the couch, and sat heavily again, beside him. He felt a bit better when Lex reached out and plunged a hand into his hair, then leaned in so their foreheads touched.

“No matter what Clark, you are not going to go through life alone. I love you, and I’m going to make sure that you’re safe and happy.” Clark closed his eyes and swallowed thickly. He ignored the few tears that slipped down his cheeks, overwhelmed by the declaration.

“I love you too, Lex.” He declared with all his heart, knowing that he’d been searching for all his life, and finally realized it had always been Lex that he longed for. He just hadn’t realized it until he bared himself fully and found nothing but acceptance.

“Then we’ll be just fine.” The other half of his soul murmured as he cupped Clark’s face and wiped away his tears with his thumbs. “We’ve got each other.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. I love those old-school Clex tropes from the early 00s so you might see more of 'em from me.
> 
> Comments keep the writing fires lit so please consider taking a second if you liked this at all?


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